Government makes Kopdes Merah Putih a welfare hub in Papua
The village cooperative will also handle farm equipment, subsidized fertilizer, 3 kg LPG, cash aid and local harvest purchases.
The government is positioning Koperasi Desa Merah Putih as a village service hub in Papua, not just a place to shop. Coordinating Food Minister Zulkifli Hasan said the cooperative will become a distribution channel for a range of programs, including social assistance, subsidized fertilizer, food aid, cash aid, 3 kilogram LPG, and the purchase of agricultural and fishery products. Farm equipment will no longer be distributed through farmer groups, but placed at the cooperative so residents can use it together. The government is also planning operational support in the form of one truck for each cooperative. The plan was discussed by Zulkifli Hasan and the Papua provincial government at the Papua governor's office in Jayapura on 14 July.